Publisher: Asian Economic and Social Society ISSN (P): 2304-1455, ISSN (E): 2224-4433 Volume 2 No. 3 September, 2012. Diversity of Aquatic Insects in Keniam River, National Park, Pahang, Malaysia Mohd Rasdi, Z. (Entomologist/Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Plantation & Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM), Pahang, Malaysia) Fauziah I. (Entomologist/Associate Professor), Ismail R., Mohd Hafezan S., Fairuz K., and Hazmi A. D. (Faculty of Plantation & Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (UiTM), Shah Alam, Malaysia) Che Salmah M. R. (Entomologist/Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia) Citation: Mohd Rasdi Z., Fauziah, I., Ismail R., Mohd Hafezan S., Fairuz K., Hazmi, A. D. and Che Salmah M. R. (2012) “Diversity of Aquatic Insects in Keniam River, National Park, Pahang, Malaysia”, Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 312-328. Acknowledgements: We were grateful to the Research Management Institute (RMI), UiTM Shah Alam and UiTM Pahang for providing facilities during study. This project was supported by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS: 600-RMI/ST/FRGS 5/3/Fst (36/2009). Thanks to anonymous referees. Diversity of Aquatic Insects in..... Diversity of Aquatic Insects in Keniam River, National Park, Pahang, Malaysia Abstract The study on biodiversity of aquatic insects was carried out covering the area of Kuala Keniam to Kuala Perkai River, National Park, Pahang, Malaysia. The macro invertebrate Author(s) community was found in the different types of micro-habitat Mohd Rasdi, Z. and various flowing speed levels in good quality of water of Faculty of Plantation & Keniam Rivers consisted mainly of aquatic insects. There are Agrotechnology, Universiti large numbers and wide species of aquatic insects in aquatic Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM), Pahang, Malaysia habitats make them of great ecological importance. There are Email: three divided strata with total of nine sampling location were [email protected] carried out within several varieties of microhabitats such as Email: [email protected] sandy, cobble, gravel, leaf and the pool area. The aquatic Fauziah, I. insects were collected and sampled by using a D-framed Faculty of Plantation & aquatic kick net. There was a wide variety of aquatic insects Agrotechnology, Universiti belonging to at least 8 orders in the study area. The orders of Teknologi MARA Malaysia insect were Odonata, Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia Thysanura, Orthopthera, Hemiptera and Ephemeroptera. Email: [email protected] Throughout the study period, there is range from total of 140 to 604 individuals of aquatic insect trapped monthly and collected Ismail R., Mohd Hafezan S., in Keniam River from September 2009 to December 2010. Fairuz K. and Hazmi A. D. 2 Faculty of Plantation & Some group of aquatic insects were found significant (χ <0.05) Agrotechnology, Universiti different abundance between strata and sampling dates as well Teknologi MARA Malaysia as habitat on the diversity of aquatic insects in Keniam River. (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor, The abundance and distribution of aquatic insects‟ species Malaysia were varied and not constant from one month to another during Che Salmah M. R. the study period due to biotic and abiotic factors. Species School of Biological Sciences, diversity of aquatic insects varied in different strata of the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Keniam River. This indicates the richness and diverse groups Penang, Malaysia Email: [email protected] of aquatic insects in the study area. It adds to the fact that the undisturbed habitat quality is most suitable for insects to breed and multiply under the natural ecosystem with abundant food supply. Moving upstream from Kuala Perkai to lower stream to Kuala Keniam, one can observe various types of habitats for aquatic insects to live. Keywords: Aquatic Insect, biodiversity, Habitat quality, Keniam River Introduction protection of wild life, conservation of nature, conservation of the ecology system as well as National Park Pahang is the largest protected recreation and ecotourism activities (Hayati et area located in the central regions of the al., 2010). This study is one of the crucial parts Peninsula Malaysia. The establishment of to identify the species diversity and distribution Taman Negara was initially to nurture and of aquatic insects which given emphasizes on conserve the fauna and flora that are of interest biotic and abiotic factors. National Park at to entomologist, geologist, archaeologist, Kuala Keniam, Pahang was chosen as a study historian, ethnology and others. It functions as area because it has the undisturbed rainforest 312 Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2(3), pp. 312-328. which gave more chances to study on become more polluted, and consequently other population and distribution of aquatic insects animal will affect due to severe pollution. For species. Aquatic insect is an important instance, Diptera larvae namely Chironomus invertebrate organism both economically and plumosus from family Chironomidae is ecologically. There are several orders of aquatic important as fish food. Additionally, the larvae insects found in stream of Kuala Keniam, have a potential to be as farm fish diet (Bogut et National Park, Pahang. Large numbers and al., 2007). wide variety of aquatic insects in the aquatic habitats make them of great ecological importance (Yule and Yong, 2004). Midges and Some of Diptera may prefer highland and prefer other aquatic flies are of general importance to lowland streams habitat such as Chironomidae freshwater ecosystems, often being a major fish (Polypedilum breviantennatum and food and an important part of bottom-dwelling Stictochironomus sp.) that prefer lowland communities. streams (Tolkamp and Both, 1978). Example of Diptera larvae that prefer highland habitat and Aquatic insect can be found almost in every inhabitants of flowing water are Simuliidae and type of aquatic habitat throughout the world Blephariceridae. The larvae of Simuliidae are including lakes, torrential streams, highly saline often found in the submerged rock because of pools, phytotelmata, coastal waters and their modified posterior prolegs anchored to silk estuaries, acid peat swamps, groundwater, hot secretion by the larva. Blephariceridae have an springs and even pools of crude oil seeping extreme morphological modification which from the ground (Yule and Yong, 2004). The made them adhere to smooth rock (Merritt and warm, wet climate of the Malaysia region is Cummins 1984). Some species of aquatic ideal for the life cycles of many aquatic insects insects such as stonefly, mayfly, and caddis fly which are usually dependent on moist habitat. are very sensitive to pollution and live in high The presence of a wide variety of environments, quality environment with good water quality. particularly in tropical rainforest, provides an The absence of species that are sensitive to enormous number of ecological niches. pollution and high number of dipteran Unfortunately habitat destruction is causing the Chironomidae that can tolerate with pollution is extinction of many aquatic insects (Yule and a good sign of pollution that happens at that Yong, 2004). Some of them, especially diptera place. The existences of certain organism in the adults are of medical importance, for example water indicate the quality of the water and mosquitoes and house flies are the major provide an overall view about physical and vectors of a wide range of diseases of humans chemical properties of the water (Che Salmah, and other animals. Game fishes feed on many 2000). In this study further investigation of kinds of Diptera that live in and on the water ecological importance of aquatic insects in (McCafferty, 1983). The extinction of aquatic Keniam River was initialized. The insect may affect the entire population in the understanding of biology and ecological ecological system because they act as an importance would contribute to future use of important source of food for many invertebrate. some orders of aquatic insect such as Diptera as For instance, if some species particularly the a bioindicator. This is because some of them are Diptera larvae become extinct, their absence well adapted to live in clean water. This study will decrease the invertebrate animal, thus may was carried out with the following objectives decrease the fish population. Because of their firstly to identify diversity of aquatic insects position in food web, aquatic insects including along Keniam River according to different the dipterans are excellent organism to sample strata, to assess the distribution and relationship and analyzed for the present of contaminants of aquatic insect in relation to environmental (Cushing and Allan, 2001). Some species of parameters and water quality Keniam River. aquatic insects particularly Diptera larvae are The information would be documented as a saprophagous or scavengers on decaying or baseline data to help in the future study and dead plants and animal matter (Peterson, 1960). conservation works. Without them decaying organic materials such as dead plants and animal, the water will 313 Diversity of Aquatic Insects in..... Materials and Methods influenced the distribution of aquatic insects at different elevation. National Park at Kuala a) Study area Keniam, Pahang was chosen as a study area The study was conducted along the Keniam because it has the undisturbed rainforest